Liquid atomizing method and apparatus

In a liquid atomizing apparatus including means for providing a gas flow and a liquid stream, the improvement comprising:

• (a) means (22;
• 52, 56;
• 58, 60, 61) including two throats in series (58t and 60t;
• 68) for accelerating said gas flow to a velocity sufficient to create shock waves between said throats, and
• (b) means including said shock waves for atomizing said liquid stream.

A method of atomizing liquid comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating shock waves (72, 74, 76, 78) in a gas flow injected through a first throat (58t;
• 60t) into a passage (61),
• (b) utilizing said shock waves (72, 74, 76, 78) to create sonic vibrations in an emerging column of liquid to shatter the liquid into small droplets, and
• (c) ejecting said gas flow and said liquid droplets out a second throat (68) in series with and downstream of said first throat (58t;
• 60t).

A method of atomizing liquid comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating shock waves (72), 74, 76, 78) in a gas flow injected through a first throat (58t;
• 60t) into passage (61),
• (b) utilizing said shock waves (72, 74, 76, 78) to create sonic vibrations in an emerging column of liquid to shatter the liquid into small droplets, and
• (c) injecting an additional gas flow into said passage (61) through a throat (60t) in parallel with said first throat (58t) to enhance acceleration of said first-named gas flow and to supply energy to the boundary layer of the first-named gas flow.